The Kardashian star made headlines at the 2022 Met Gala by wearing Marilyn Monroe’s iconic “Happy Birthday, Mr. President” dress, but faced significant backlash following the event.
The SKIMS founder was accused of damaging the iconic dress, a claim she firmly denied. She also faced criticism for the strict diet she undertook leading up to the red carpet event.
Now, Kim is sparking even more controversy with her latest remarks about the Hollywood legend, raising eyebrows once again.
Kardashian’s decision to wear the dress stirred up numerous controversies, sparking debates on several fronts.
First, she revealed to Vogue that she lost over a stone in just three weeks to fit into the dress, which fueled widespread concern and criticism.
She explained that she “wore a sauna suit twice a day, ran on the treadmill, completely cut out all sugar and carbs, and only ate the cleanest vegetables and protein.”
This sparked backlash, with many criticizing Kim for promoting “unhealthy” weight loss methods.
In response to the backlash, Kim said, “I’m not trying to lose any more weight, but I have more energy than ever. I cut out so much sugar and a lot of junk food I was eating. I just completely changed my lifestyle.”
Kim defended her actions in an interview with The New York Times, comparing her weight loss to an actor losing weight for a film role.
She elaborated, saying, “To me, it was like: ‘OK, Christian Bale can do it for a movie role, and that is acceptable.’ Even Renée Zellweger gained weight for a role.”
“It’s all the same to me. I wasn’t saying, ‘Hey everyone, why don’t you go lose this weight in a short period of time?’” she added.
Another point of contention regarding her wearing the dress was the concern over whether Kardashian had caused any damage to the historical artifact.
Photographs taken by Scott Fortner, a collector specializing in authenticating and verifying Monroe memorabilia, seemed to reveal stretched and buckled fabric, along with missing crystals on the back of the dress.
The post quoted the dress’s owner, Ripley’s Believe It Or Not!, who stated, “Great care was taken to preserve this piece of pop culture history.
With input from garment conservationists, appraisers, and archivists, the garment’s condition was top priority. No alterations were to be made to the dress, and Kim even changed into a replica after the red carpet!”
Ripley’s issued a statement (as reported by Us Weekly) stating, “Kim Kardashian’s wearing of the ‘Happy Birthday’ dress has sparked considerable debate. However, it is important to note that she did not, in any way, damage the garment during the brief time it was worn at the Met Gala.”
In a memo, Amanda Joiner, Ripley’s Vice President of Publishing and Licensing, stated, “From the bottom of the Met steps, where Kim slipped into the dress, to the top where it was returned, the dress remained in the same condition as when it was first worn.”
Ripley’s concluded by stating, “In response to a recent social media post that asked, ‘Was it worth it?’ it’s important to clarify that Kim Kardashian did not pay Ripley’s Believe It or Not! to wear the dress, nor did the company compensate her.
Instead, Kardashian made a charitable donation to two organizations in the greater Orlando area on behalf of the dress.”
Before her appearance, Kim defended her choice of outfit.
“I have a deep respect for the dress and its significance in American history,” she stated.
“I would never sit in it, eat in it, or take any risks that could cause damage. I also won’t be wearing the type of body makeup I usually do.”
Kim emphasized, “It was quite a process. I arrived on the red carpet in a robe and slippers.
I put the dress on at the bottom of the carpet, walked up the stairs, and probably had it on for about four minutes before changing right at the top of the stairs.”
When asked if wearing the dress caused any damage, she insisted, “No. [Ripley’s and I] collaborated very effectively. There were handlers wearing gloves who helped put it on me.”
However, a new dress-related controversy has emerged.
Kim has gone viral for claiming that people didn’t even know who Marilyn Monroe was before she wore the gown!
The reality TV star appeared on Today with Savannah Guthrie and Hoda Kotb, where the topic of Monroe’s historic dress was discussed.
She was on the show to promote her skincare line when one of the hosts mentioned a behind-the-scenes conversation they had with Kim.
Many social media users are outraged by Kardashian’s comments, with one user writing, “There’s no way Kim Kardashian actually said that many people didn’t know who Marilyn Monroe was until she wore her dress.”
Another user commented, “The audacity of this.”
“Imagine having this much ego!” a third user added.
A fourth person remarked, “What a bubble she lives in, surrounded only by money. I just don’t understand why people give her so much attention.”
Monroe wore the dress while singing “Happy Birthday” to President John F. Kennedy at Madison Square Garden in May 1962, just three months before her death.
Kim added, “I respect her, and I understand how significant this dress is to American history.”
“With the theme being American, I thought, what could be more American than Marilyn Monroe singing ‘Happy Birthday’ to the President of the United States?”
Guthrie remarked, “We were just talking, and you mentioned that you were shocked to see on TikTok that some people don’t even know who Marilyn Monroe was.”
Kim responded, “That was the most shocking thing to me, which is why I was so happy to have that opportunity. I’m grateful that Ripley’s allowed me to share this moment so it can continue to live on.”
